Who is Shane Filan? Former Westlife singer who has overcome bankruptcy and released three albums

The Irish singer has had mixed fortunes since first finding fame with the boyband in 1998

By Jill Robinson

11th December 2017, 11:12 am

Updated: 12th December 2017, 11:15 am

HE was one fifth of one of the biggest boybands in the world but it hasn't been plain sailing for former Westlife singer Shane Filan.

The 38-year-old singer has overcome bankruptcy since the group split in 2012, here's all we know about him.

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Shane Filan is a 38-year-old Irish singer who used to be in Westlife

Who is Shane Filan?

Shane Filan is a 38-year-old singer from Sligo in Ireland.

He was born on July 5, 1979 and is the youngest of seven children, with three older brothers and three older sisters.

Shane married wife Gillian in December 2003 and the couple have three children together, daughter Nicole and sons Patrick and Shane.

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Westlife was one of the biggest boybands of the late 90s and early 00s

How successful was Shane during his Westlife days?

Shane, alongside Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden, formed Westlife in 1998 and were managed by Louis Walsh, who had led fellow Irish boyband Boyzone to international success.

Westlife went on to eclipse the achievements of their predecessors, scoring a record seven consecutive number one singles with their first seven releases, as well as 50 million record sales worldwide.

Before they disbanded in 2012, the group accumulated 14 number one singles in the UK and a total of 26 top 10 singles.

Crispin Rodwell - The Sun Dublin

Shane had to file for bankruptcy in 2012 which was hard for him and wife Gillian

When did Shane file for bankruptcy and why?

Shane filed for bankruptcy the same year Westlife disbanded in 2012, after the property development company he owned with his brother Finbar, Shafin Developments, was placed into receivership with debts of €23m.